Let’s play an automotive edition of spot the differences. Take a look at the two images above. Both are images promoting the Toyota Corolla hatchback. For over a month, details on the Toyota Corolla GR have been out in the open for everyone to see in one of these images. The brilliance of this is that we are all only just now talking about it, thanks to the attention put on GR Corolla Forum on Tuesday. Toyota teased it in a way that some may not have caught. Give up? Read on.
What looks to be a simple Instagram post showing the interior of the Corolla hatchback with the caption, “Keep them guessing...,” isn’t so simple. It’s all in the details.
First, notice the background. On the far right you can see what appears to be a Corolla GR in what looks to be camo. It’s just far enough away that you can’t quite make out the details.
Secondly, in the instrument cluster just to the top right of the speedometer is a display that says G:16. This is likely a reference to Toyota’s G16E 1.6-liter turbocharged straight three that makes 268 horsepower in the Yaris GR.
The last two easter eggs are honestly the best as they would be the hardest to catch. If you take a look at the nav screen, the name of the road that the car is on is called GR FOUR. This could be a reference to the rumored all wheel drive system. The last simply says “2 68" in the climate controls. This is the exact horsepower rating of the Yaris GR.
The pic might have thrown some off because of how simple and unsuspecting it is. You see the interior of the Corolla hatch, with a window to a desert motel scene (where a murder most likely happened), and a man and a woman walking together. She unrealistically glances back at the Corolla with a look of, “ohh what is that?” At the bottom of the image, as subtle as possible says, “Vehicle show with options.” The picture wouldn’t look out of place in a brochure or catalogue.
Add up these savvy clues, and one could say the Corolla GR is coming.
We brought you a little insight into the rumored 300 horsepower output, with all-wheel-drive, and a mid-$30,000 price point Toyota Corolla GR. Together it could make one of the best performance buys of the decade. That’s if it really all pans out.
Correction, Wednesday, November 24, 2021, 7:50 a.m. ET: A previous version of this story did not include the Easter eggs were discovered on the GR Corolla Forum. The article has been updated to include this.